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"My lady, he came down from his horse smiling and and then he fell, and we could not wake him," the boy whispered, trembling all over. |
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Alinor rose at once and curtsied to the king, who did not even bother to hide his satisfaction. Angry words rose to her tongue, but it was more necessary to get to Ian at once than to tell the king what she thought of him. And it did pass her mind also, that it would do Ian more harm than good to show John openly her hatred and contempt. She made some brief formal apology, which was accepted with a self-satisfied nod. |
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The king had hoped that Ian could be finished in the jousting, but he was not really surprised or disappointed when that did not happen. An experienced jouster, even a tired one, is seldom killed, although if Fulk's trick had worked, it might have been fatal. Had Ian been unhorsed, the chances for a sad outcome would have been much greater; for example, a man could be trampled when his opponent returns to help him. Ian's own horse had nearly killed a young jouster early in the day. However, John had far more elaborate plans laid than an "accident" while jousting. His one concern had been that Ian might be severely enough injured, instead of being killed, to prevent him from fighting in the melee the next day. He knew that had not happened. Everything was working out for the best. De Vipont would be sore and stiff and clumsy, but he would have no wound to which he could point as an excuse. Tomorrow, he would fight, and die, and no one would be able to point a finger of blame at anyone. |
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Lady Ela watched as Alinor and Geoffrey moved toward the jouster's tent, but her eyes were on the boy. Alinor's hand rested comfortingly on his shoulder, and her head was bent as she spoke to him. He looked different than the glimpses Ela had caught of him when he was in Isabella's service. She had not helped him then, when he needed help so badly. Now she blamed |
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